Dental impression device.



S. G. SUPPLEE.

DENTAL IMPRESSION DEVICE.

APPLICATION man Nov.23.191e.

Patented July 31, 1917.

OOOOGOOOOO I 0000000000 0000060000 000000000 SAMUEL GARFIELD SUPPLEE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DENTAL DEPRESSION DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Application filed November 23, 1916. Serial No. 132,929.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL G. SUPPLEE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York, N. Y., have invented a new and useful Dental Impression Device, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved means and method for taking impressions for artificial dentures and in that form of invention shown herein I have illustrated the same as applied to taking an upperimpression, although it will be understood that it is also applicable for taking lower impressions.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and reliable means and method for securing accurately the conformation of the ridge and tissues against which the denture is to set when the same are under biting pressure, since it is obvious that it is at such a time primarily that the denture must accurately fit in order to secure the highest efiiciency and greatest comfort. The means may be characterized as a correcting impression device.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the tray before the biting block is applied.

Fig. 2 is a view of the underside of the structure as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section thereof.

Fig. 4: is a similar section with the biting block applied.

Fig. 5 is a view of the underside of Fig. 4. after the bite has been made and showing the impressions produced thereby.

Fig. 6 is a plan and edge view of one of the details.

In making a structure such as illustrated in the drawings, a plaster model is prefer ably first made with the mouth open which model represents substantially the upper ridge and the vault. To this is then applied a suitable plastic modeling compound of a low fusing point, said compound being conformed to said model. On this layer of the modeling material I then apply another layer of a compound, the fusing point of which is not as low as the fusing point of the first layer. On this second layer I then apply a metallic reinforcing plate so constructed that it may be conformed by mere finger pressure to conform thereto, which plate is not materially affected by heat.

1 represents the first layer of material, 2 represents the second layer of material, and

3 represents the metallic plate. By preference this plate is made of a comparatively thin material so perforated or formed as to weaken the same sufficiently so that it may be given the desired conformation by finger pressure. I then apply to the ridge what is termed the biting block d, which block is made of an impression compound or material which preferably has a fusing point somewhat lower than the layer 2, but not as low as the layer 1. I then remove from the model the composite impression device thus formed and heat the biting block and place it in the patients mouth and direct the pa tient to bite thereon so as to force into the biting block the desired bite impression. I then remove the impression device, trim off the excess material, and place it in sufficiently warm water to soften the layer 1. I then replace it in the patients mouth again directing that biting pressure be applied, at the same time directing the patient to work the muscles of the mouth. The device obviously falls into the original bite position when replaced in the mouth so that the biting pressure will cause the then relatively soft layer 1 to shape itself accurately to the tissues of the vault and the ridge, while the muscles will operate to conform the buccal and labial borders so that when a denture is made from said impression device it will accurately fit said tissues as they appear when the lips are closed and said tissues are under biting pressure. The presence of the relatively stiffer layer 2 and the plate 3 so reinforce the structure during the last biting operation that not only will the tissues adj acent to the ridge be accurately reproduced when under biting strain, but the tissues of the vault will likewise be accurately reproduced. The layer 2 being relatively stiffer than the layer 1, serves to reinforce the lat-. ter during the biting operation and is resilient enough to create a uniform pressure over the buccal and labial border as well as across the rear portion of the vault, and thereby materially assists in securing the desired result. By using a reinforcing plate of perforated metal not only may the plate be given the desired conformation by finger pressure, but when forced into place the material of the layer so sinks into the perforations in the plate 3 as to anchor the same in a fixed position preventing displacement during the act of actually taking the impression of the mouth.

Obviously, if a lower impression is tobe made, the vault portion would be absent, in which event the metallic plate 3 should be suitably shaped to conform to the lower ridge and afford clearance for the tongue.

It is obvious that the invention can be employed for partial or full dentures and it should be understood that the correcting impression device may be made in stock form for sale Without shaping them finally for the individual case, the shaping being effected by the dentist to lit the conditions of each individual.

What I claim is:

1. In a dental impression device, a laminated body portion composed of one layer of plastic compound having a relatively low fusing point, a second layer of plastic material conformed thereto and having a relatively higher fusing point, and the third layer comprising a metallic reinforcing plate conformed to that portion of the second layer covered thereby.

2. In a dental impression device, a lami nated body portion composed of one layer of plastic compound having a relatively low fusing point, a second layer of plastic material conformed thereto and having a relatively higher fusing point, and the third layer comprising a metallic reinforcing plate conformed to that portion of the second layer covered there-by, and a biting block of plastic impression material applied to that face of the tray bearing said metallic reinforcing plate.

3. In a dental impression device, a laminated body portion composed of one layer of plastic compound having a relatively low fusing point, a second layer of plastic material conformed thereto and having a relatively higher fusing point, and the third layer comprising a metallic reinforcing plate conformed to that portion of the second layer covered thereby, and a biting block of plastic impression material applied to that face of the tray bearing said metallic reinforcing plate, said biting block being composed of plastic compound having a fusing point higher than the first layer.

4. A reinforcement for a correcting dental impression device formed of plastic compound comprising, a relatively thin conformable metallic plate of less area than the area of said impression device, said plate having perforations to weaken the same whereby it may be suitably conformed by finger pressure and whereby said perforations will constitute anchorages for said compound to fixand determine the position of said plate relatively to said impression device, and whereby said plate will become a component part thereof.

SAMUEL GARFIELD SUPPLEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

ashington, D. G. 

